The present invention relates generally to collapsible furniture, and more particularly to bedding which may be used for temporary purposes such as for overnight guests.
Temporary beds have been used for many years and come in many forms, from a simple futon or air mattress to more complex xe2x80x9chide-a-bedxe2x80x9d style devices. Such temporary beds are most often used when guests, either expected or otherwise, stay overnight. In such cases, it is desirable that the temporary bed be quick and easy to assemble, comfortable, and collapse to a small configuration which can be easily and conveniently stored in a closet or storage cabinet. An air mattress has the advantage of deflating to a very compact size when the internal air pressure is released, and can be set up in a relatively short amount of time. The air pressure in the mattress gives good support to body members and the air can redistribute within the mattress slightly in response to greater weight loads in certain areas. It can thus conform to the user""s body, is lightweight, and is generally easily portable, even when inflated.
However, air mattresses which are pitched on the floor of a dwelling, may be perceived as being less gracious than beds which are elevated from the floor. Elevated beds may have less intimate contact with floor dirt and grime, thus be more suitable for those with allergies or aversions to dirt. Furthermore, an elevated bed may be easier to get into and out of for those who may have trouble squatting on the floor, or for those with stiff joints or arthritis.
Additionally, those who go camping out of trailers, etc. may wish to sleep out-of-doors, but may wish to isolate themselves from insects, snakes and other forest denizens which may roam the forest floor. For such purposes, an elevated bed, which is easily collapsible and portable, may be very useful. It also may be useful in rocky terrain, or in areas of thorns or burrs, which would otherwise contact the air mattress and possibly puncture it.
Generally, the less effort involved in constructing the bed, the more desirable the typical user would consider the bed to be. People who are contemplating retiring to bed are often already in a state of fatigue or unsteadiness in which the construction of a bed from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration may seem a daunting prospect. Therefore, a bed structure which requires minimal involvement by the user in its construction, or, even better, is largely self-erecting, would be very desirable in a variety of situations.
Thus there is a need for a collapsible bed which is elevated from contact with the ground or floor, and which is both very portable and comfortable for the user. There is also a need for a bed which requires minimal involvement by the user in its construction, or, even better, is largely self-erecting.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bed that is collapsible and portable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bed which stores in a very small space.
And another object of the invention is to provide a bed which uses an air mattress which is elevated up off the floor.
A further object of the invention is to provide a bed which requires a minimum of human effort to construct from a collapsed configuration to an expanded one.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a self-expanding bed in which the self-erecting mechanism is operated by remote control.
Briefly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is a collapsible bed having an air mattress and a support frame. The frame includes a number of frame members, which are joined by pivot assemblies, such that the support frame as a whole expands outwardly from a central area, when a portion of the frame is pulled outwardly.
A second preferred embodiment is a self-expanding bed having an air mattress and an articulated support frame. The frame includes a number of frame members, which are joined by pivot assemblies, such that the support frame as a whole expands outwardly from a central area. The air mattress is attached to the support frame at a number of points, so that when the air mattress is inflated and expands outwardly, the support frame also expands outwardly. An electric air pump may also be included, which may be activated by a remote control, so that the bed is self-expanding.
An advantage of the present invention is that it uses an external frame and independent air mattress.
Another advantage of the invention is that the air mattress can be replaced if damaged, without replacing the whole bed.
And another advantage of the invention is that the frame is constructed with permanently joined members connected with pivot joints so that the frame collapses and expands as a unit, and requires very little construction or hunting for lost pieces.
An additional advantage of the invention is that it contains an air-pump which can be activated by a remote control to cause the pump to fill the mattress. The force of the air in the mattress as it expands causes the frame structure to expand and move from its collapsed to its expanded configuration, with minimal, or no manual effort by the user.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art in view of the description of the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and the industrial applicability of the preferred embodiment as described herein and as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.